Ants vs. Termites

While they may look similar at first glance, there are several quick ways to differentiate between a termite and an ant. Being able to tell the difference between flying ants and termites can end up saving you a lot of money and aggravation. Click here to see the difference!

BLUE BOTTLE FLY

Blue bottle flies are similar in overall appearance to the common housefly but they are larger with a metallic blue/green sheen. These flies breed on animal carcasses, waste meat products and to a lesser degree, decaying plant material.

What are Fleas?

Fleas are tiny, wingless, parasitic insects that feed on a wide variety of warm-blooded animals, including humans. Fleas have laterally flattened bodies (in other words, they're taller than they are wide), and are about the size of a pin head, on average. They have specially-adapted, piercing-sucking mouthparts with which they puncture the skin of their hosts. Most flea species are named after their preferred host, such as dog fleas, cat fleas, human fleas, and so forth. But if their preferred host isn't available, fleas will simply infest another animal instead. Pretty much any warm-blooded animal will do in a pinch if a flea gets hungry enough. Adult fleas have well-developed legs and can jump quite high. They use this ability to jump onto a host animal's body after having fallen or having been shaken off the body of another host. In fact, fleas spend quite a bit of their time jumping onto and falling off of their hosts, which is one way they spread through homes. Fleas hitchhike on pets (and sometimes humans), and get transported throughout the house.

What are Crickets?

There are thought to be around 900 species of true Crickets, belonging to the “Gryllidae” family. These crickets tend to be nocturnal and are generally characterized by slightly flattened looking, light brown to dark brown colored bodies and long antennae. Throughout the region you may refer to them more commonly as the “field cricket”. Like all insects, their bodies are protected by an exoskeleton – a tough outer casing or shell. Possibly the most memorable characteristic of the Cricket is its long hind legs which, as well as being used to jump, are used for communication. Only the male Cricket can “chirp” and does so by rubbing its hind legs against a forewing with between 50 to 300 ribs on it.